The present invention relates to a new and improved construction of an apparatus for superposing flexible flat structures or entities, especially sheets and signatures.
In its more particular aspects, the present invention specifically relates to a new and improved construction of an apparatus for superposing flexible flat structures or entities, especially sheets and signatures, and comprises at least one receiving or storage bin which is open toward the top, for accommodating a supply of flat structures or entities. The at least one storage bin is arranged below a conveying path or track which leads to a deposit device or means for the flat structures or entities which have been collected one above the other.
In collating machines or installations of this type the path of movement or conveying path or track of the collecting means extends in a horizontal plane. A number of receiving or storage bins for accommodating stacks of sheets or signatures which have to be collated, are arranged below the aforementioned path of movement or conveying path or track. These receiving or storage bins are inclined relative to the vertical and therefore are also inclined relative to the path of movement or conveying path or track of the collecting means. By means of suitable feed or outfeed mechanisms, single sheets or signatures are upwardly displaced or pushed from all or only selected ones of the receiving or storage bins and are brought into the operating or working range of the collecting means. The collecting means is moved across the receiving or storage bins and pulls the sheets or signatures which have been upwardly displaced or pushed off the stacks. Each newly withdrawn or extracted sheet or signature comes to rest below the precedingly withdrawn or extracted sheets or signatures. In such collating machines or installations the withdrawal and conveyance of the sheets or signatures can only be effected with the movement speed of the collecting means.
A prior art construction of collating machine is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,584,865, granted June 15, 1971.